With a little more than four weeks to go before the General Election, there still appears to be a dearth of good news for Nancy Mistele's campaign for Dane County Executive. As reported earlier, she still has yet to trumpet support from anybody outside the far right and industry special interests. This is in stark contrast to the incumbent Kathleen Falk, who continues to consolidate and trumpet a considerable number of endorsements - with supporters ranging from Ray Allen, Jo Musser and Sue Ann Thompson to Barb Vedder and Marsha Rummel.

On top of it, Mistele's radio advertising is not being well-received. WISC-TV's Reality Check analyzed Mistele's public safety attack ad called its claims, "misleading" and "A WISC-TV analysis found this claim needs clarification." Her other attack ad criticizing Falk for running for higher office (which, to put it mildly, displays a profound amount of brass) actually calls taking a 5% salary cut as accepting "full salary."

Konkel has added about one-third more District 2 residents to her supporters list since the primary. And, of course, Adam Walsh added and then kind of subtracted his public support for Brenda in a saga that is detailed here and here.

What is notable is who is staying silent so far. The REALTORS, Downtown Madison Inc. and the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, all organizations that would love to see Brenda Konkel in their rear-view mirrors, have so far decided to take an endorsement pass. And most notable is the silence from Mayor Dave. Here is the one person who could have a say in this election and who really knows Bridget Maniaci. She worked in his office for a year. And it's no secret that he can't stand Brenda Konkel and wants her out of office in the worst way. Yet he can't bring himself to endorse Bridget. Why is that?

"A smart, critical, independent voice like Brenda's is more important than ever right now. Far too many in power in Madison are pursuing an agenda that will harm those with the least power and resources. Brenda's genuine compassion and support for those who lack a voice in how we are governed is her greatest strength. We should not let the powers-that-be, including the Mayor, bully or silence her."

Those are pretty tough and passionate words. And it leaves me feeling a bit wistful and wondering what it would have been like if he had displayed that kind of passion while he was still alder.

Think like right-wingers think (Part 1 of a series)

The North American wingnutus maximus is rare around these parts (and most others in America these days). You can usually find them regurgitating talking points sent from their drug-addicted leader in Palm Beach, FL. Thanks to a tagging and tracking program by the Wisconsin DNR, we are able to record some of the current talking points. Learn these well enough and you'll be able to fill in for Vicki McKenna the next time she needs a day off for rabies treatment:

The current economic troubles are completely 100% the fault of the man who has been President for the last 7 weeks and has nothing to do with the man who was President for the 416 weeks previous.

Criticizing the President while we're fighting two wars is de facto cheering for America to fail and borderline treasonous. Oh wait, it's after 1-21-2009? Then actively cheering for America to actually fail is patriotic and analogous to participating in the Boston Tea Party.

"Loophole Louie" Butler can't protect Wisconsinites on the State Supreme Court bench because he used to be a defense attorney and succeeded, sometimes keeping people out of prison who would commit crimes again. Randy Koschnick deserves our vote even though he used to be a defense attorney and worked to try and keep notorious cop-killer Ted Oswald out of prison.

Kathleen Falk should be removed as Dane County Executive because she twice tried to "leave Dane County behind by running for higher office". We should replace her with Nancy Mistele, who twice ran for higher office -- once while on the Madison School Board -- and when she didn't move up, quit on the people who elected her.

Save the Date

Friday, March 27th from 5-7PM at the Brink Lounge (701 E Washington Ave) will be the Tenant Resource Center's "Iron Chef" Cook-off to benefit the TRC's Housing Crisis Fund. This is a fund that is used to keep families in housing and is especially needed in these times. My particular interest in this is that I will be paired up, for the third time, against my good friend and Dane County Board Chair Scott McDonell. Our theme ingredient is BEER.

Scott beat me the previous two times (mushrooms in 2003 and spinach in 2005) so I am very motivated to put together something great and the Basford Test Kitchen has been busy the last couple weeks as I try to invent something that wins. Great food, great people and good times. Be sure not to miss it!